This Thursday, June 20th from 5:30-7:00, the NRT will be hosting its monthly Family Science Outing and this month the topic is interesting insects! More often than not it is really easy to be put off by bugs and unfortunately, most people tend to squash them rather than step around them. However, insects are super interesting and totally underappreciated.

Let’s start with what is an insect? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, an insect is defined as an invertebrate animal with three body parts (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of legs, and usually a pair or two of wings. Something important to note is that not all insects are “bugs”. We tend to use the word “bug” loosely and it is true that all bugs are insects. However, a bug is a very specific type of insect. The key difference between true bugs and other insects is that bugs have specialized mouthparts for sucking fluids from plants and animals. This mouthpart is known as a proboscis, and unlike the proboscis of a butterfly which can retract and roll up like a party blower, the proboscis of a true bug is unretractable and cannot roll up. Another featured trait of true bugs is that when they hatch from their eggs, they are called nymphs and not larvae. As a nymph they are simply a smaller version of their adult selves. Examples of true bugs are leafhoppers, stink bugs, cicadas and bed bugs!

Ever wonder why insects are everywhere? It’s because they are the most successful creatures on the planet! Scientists have estimated that of all the animals found on Earth, a staggering 90% of them are insects and they are found on every continent! At all times there are 10 QUADRILLION ants living on the planet alone! How are they so successful though? Most of them are pretty small, which means their energy requirements are minimal and they can easily hide from predators. Their bodies are also covered by a hard outer layer called the exoskeleton, acting like body army for an insect. Insects usually have wings to escape danger and find food, and they also have the extraordinary ability to reproduce rapidly.

Another thing that makes insects so interesting is their ability to breathe through their sides. They have holes in the exoskeleton called spiracles, and these holes is where oxygen enters and carbon dioxide leaves. Their circulatory systems are different too seeing as they don’t really have one. They don’t even have blood! What insects do have is hemolymph which flows openly throughout the body, not throughout veins and arteries like in humans. Talk about different, what about those eyes?! The compound eye of an insect has many individual parts working like pixels putting together a picture. The eye of a dragonfly permits it to have an almost 360 degree view of the world around it!

These are just a few examples of what makes insects special, but the list goes on and on! To learn more about them, please come to Sheep Pasture this Thursday, July 20th at 5:30 and join a NRT naturalist to explore these awesome animals!

During the first week of nature camp here at Sheep Pasture, a camper reminded staff just how cool the octopus really is. He preceded to say that the octopus was one of his favorite animals, second only to the horseshoe crab, because of its ability to change colors and transform itself to look like something else entirely (by the way folks, this all came from a 5 year old!). He then said that his favorite octopus was the mimic octopus, which we admitted we didn’t know much about. Research ensued shortly thereafter!​So in honor of this particular camper, here is the coolest thing we learned about the mimic octopus!

Now most of us know that one fascinating trait all octopuses share is the ability to change the appearance of their skin to hide from predators. However, the mimic octopus, which was only discovered in 1998, possesses the unique ability to IMPERSONATE other animals as it traverses the sea bed. Some animals the mimic octopus has been documented impersonating are sole fish, lion fish, sea snakes, and scientists also speculate impersonations of anemones, stingrays, mantis shrimp, and jellyfish!

We also know that octopuses are highly intelligent animals, but the mimic octopus takes intelligence to a whole other level. Exhibit A: the damselfish is known as an aggressively territorial fish. The fascinating part of this story is that after being attacked by a territory defending damselfish, mimic octopuses have been recorded then impersonating banded sea snakes, which are known predators of damselfishes! Basically, mimic octopuses are observant enough to understand which animals are the most dangerous and therefore better to impersonate. In other words, the camper really knew what he was talking about and the mimic octopus is an awesome animal to learn about!!! Thank you camper!

​Check out the mimic octopus in action by watching this video!Want to see just how smart octopuses are? Watch this one escape from a closed jar!

Camouflage is a word we hear all the time but did you know that there are different kinds of camouflage. Aposematic, countershading, mimicry and background matching are all different types of camouflage.

Have you ever seen a black and yellow hornet? Or a black and white skunk? And do you try and get closer to these animals or do you stay away? Well if you are like me you stay away because of those warning colors that we are so used to seeing. In nature animals that have two contrasting colors - most commonly black, white, red and yellow - are said to have aposematic coloration. These colors generally mean that an animal is poisonous, venomous, toxic, has spines or even just smells or tastes bad. Poison dart frogs are an excellent example of aposematic coloration because the usually have black and a bright color so predators can identify them as poisonous. These amphibians don’t even produce their poison but they ingest it from insects and use it for their own defense.

​This survival technique is also used by animals that don’t actually have any of those hazards but want to appear as if they do called batesian mimicry. Batesian mimicry is when a harmless animal has the same colors as a dangerous animal. They are mimicking the the colors to fool predators into thinking they are dangerous. Some examples of this are the eastern coral snake (venomous) and the scarlet kingsnake (nonvenomous). Both of these species live in the southeastern United States so people have come up with a rhyme to remember which is the venomous snake: “red and yellow you’re a dead fellow; red and black you’re alright Jack.”

​Some animals don’t try to stand out with bright warning colors but will have duller colors in order to hide from predators. Cryptic coloration helps animals blend in to make hard to see in them in their habitat. The tawny frogmouth is an excellent example of blending because they become almost invisible to predators because they freeze and look like a branch. Many animals do this even if it is just be brown or gray so they don’t stand out like deer or squirrels.

​The last color technique is similar to cryptic coloration in which the animal is trying to blend in but instead of wanting to blend into the background they try to match the light. Countershading is when the top of an animal is dark while the underside is light. This helps animals that will be seen from both above and below like birds or aquatic creatures. When an animal is all one color its shadow makes the animal easily visible but with countershading it’s harder to see the animal.

Yesterday on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at approximately 12:30 pm an American woodcock was seen near the bird blind on the Sheep Pasture property. The sighting was for the briefest of moments as the woodcock was flushed from its hiding spot near the trail’s edge. Trained eyes searched desperately near where the bird seemed to land, but this woodcock had effectively disappeared into the woods. Upon mentioning that a woodcock had been spotted, shock and awe were displayed because this is a bird rarely seen here, at least commonly seen anymore. Therefore the question is, “What is the American woodcock’s story here in Massachusetts?” Let’s learn more about this fascinating bird!

Interestingly enough, the American woodcock is considered a shorebird but is not found along the shore. Its ideal habitat is amongst the leaf litter of deciduous forests or hidden in shrub covered fields. The woodcock is a migratory bird species and spends its winters in the warmer regions of Texas and along the Gulf Coast states before traveling north in early spring to breed within the younger forests across the eastern United States. This is perhaps the most striking part of the American woodcock’s ecology. Their mating rituals during springtime have long been recognized as one of the more impressive displays of courtship found in nature. In the classic book, Sand County Almanac, famous conservationist Aldo Leopold describes his experience witnessing a dancing male:

“Knowing the place and the hour, you seat yourself under a bush to the east of the dance floor and wait, watching against the sunset for the woodcock’s arrival. He flies in low from some neighboring thicket, alights on the bare moss, and at once begins the overture: a series of queer throaty peents spaced about two seconds apart, and sounding much like the summer call of the nighthawk. Suddenly the peenting ceases and the bird flutters skyward in a series of wide spirals, emitting a musical twitter. Up and up he goes, the spirals steeper and smaller, the twittering louder and louder, until the performer is only a speck in the sky. Then, without warning, he tumbles like a crippled plane, giving voice in a soft liquid warble that a March bluebird might envy. At a few feet from the ground he levels off and returns to his peenting ground, usually to the exact spot where the performance began, and there resumes his peenting.It is soon too dark to see the bird on the ground, but you can see his flights against the sky for an hour, which is the usual duration of the show. On moonlight nights, however, it may continue, at intervals, as long as the moon continues to shine …”

The American woodcock is indeed a compelling and amusing bird, but what has happened to it? Why is it a rare sight in the state of Massachusetts and throughout the rest of the eastern U.S.? As mentioned above, the woodcock thrives in younger forests where the thicket community is much denser. This habitat provides excellent cover for the bird, thereby increasing its chances for survival. Unfortunately, less than 5% of forests in Massachusetts are considered young forest habitats. This is largely due to maintenance of private landowners whose practices have resulted in older, mature forests and consequently have contributed to the decline of woodcock populations in the state. This could be why we do not see as many courtship displays as we used to.

What’s being done to help the American woodcock? The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has teamed up with The Ruffed Grouse Society, the Wildlife Management Institute and Cowl’s Land and Lumber Company of North Amherst to lead the American Woodcock Initiative. Click here to read more about the program and find out what is being done to restore important habitat for woodcocks and other animals.

It’s that time of year again when new feathery friends will begin visiting your backyard trees, bushes, and bird feeders. Annual spring migrations are starting for many different bird species, which means this is a particularly exciting time of year for bird lovers.

Through networks of birdwatchers and surveyors who compile and report an abundance of data, we are able to estimate when bird species will begin their migrations and when they will arrive in certain areas along their routes. For the birds, migration is timed very specifically and often coincides with weather events, melting snow, and the emergence of insects. Keep in mind that timing varies year to year and depends on the above factors. However, once these birds reach their final destinations, they have the spring and summer to stake a territory, build a nest, lay eggs, and raise their young before the fall migration.

For our region you may expect to see purple martins and broad winged hawks passing through during the first two weeks of April. From April 16-30 keep an eye out for traveling barn swallows, ruby throated hummingbirds, black and white warblers, and northern parulas. Early May will bring us indigo buntings, baltimore and orchard orioles, rose breasted grosbeaks, and blue winged warblers. Click here for a full list of spring migratory birds for the northeast region, including migration maps and dates.

As excited as we become upon seeing our forests and fields come alive during this time of year, it is important to remember the current threats facing migratory birds. Changing climates disrupt timing patterns and threaten major habitats. Buildings and cars also pose a huge danger for birds; on average 300 million to 1 billion birds die each year from hitting buildings, and millions more die from being struck by cars. Furthermore, 1 million each day die from attacks by pet cats, and the majority of these deaths occur during spring and fall migrations. Want to help migratory birds? Click here and read about the top 10 ways to assist.

Read more information on migration basics, how birds find their way, and how scientists study migration.

When studying animals and the interactions between them and their environment, you learn about some incredible and often remarkable relationships in nature. These symbiotic relationships are all about survival and sometimes prove to be shocking!

There are certain interactions in which both parties benefit, and those types are called mutualistic relationships. For example, one incredibly cool mutualistic relationship involves crabs and sea urchins! In the waters around Indonesia, there are crabs called urchin crabs that carry fire sea urchins on their backs as they traverse the ocean floor. Why do they do that you may ask? Because fire sea urchins are quite venomous and act as an effective shield against potential predators. What does the sea urchin get out of this relationship? A free ride of course! Watch these two animals work together in their mutualistic relationship.

Commensalism is a relationship where one party benefits and the other party neither benefits nor is harmed. A great example of this type of symbiosis is between the caterpillar stage of the Monarch Butterfly and milkweed. Great fields of milkweed act as important nurseries for the monarchs and is where the monarch picks up its best strategy for defense. Within the leaves of the milkweed lie toxic chemical components that the munching monarch caterpillars assimilate into their own bodies, acting as a chemical defense against predators! Learn more about this important relationship from National Park Rangers in Yosemite.

However, some of the most fascinating relationships are those classified as parasitic, a relationship where one organism will benefit while the other is harmed or even dies. The Lancet Liver fluke cycles through its life within the bodies of three different animals. As an adult, the fluke can be found in the liver of a cow or sheep, and after mating, the eggs of the fluke will be in the feces of the host. This is the part when a snail comes along and gobbles up the eggs without knowing, unwittingly becoming the second host to the fluke. After the eggs hatch inside of the snail, the baby flukes work their way to the surface and agitate the snail until it coughs up the parasites in slime balls. The next host is an ant, who then stops by to snack on the snail slime, thereby ingesting the fluke larvae. This is where things really get interesting. The fluke larvae attack the ant’s brain and essentially take over, controlling the ant to position itself at the tops of plants during dawn and dusk! Why do they do this? So that the likelihood of the ant being eaten by a grazing mammal increases dramatically and the fluke can complete its life cycle. Learn more about the Lancet Liver fluke!​

We all look forward to the coming of spring, but every year some of nature's citizens celebrate the changing of the season by becoming real party animals. During the day and into the night, these celebrating creatures make sure everyone knows that spring is here and it's time to party!

So just who are these wild and crazy revelers? Let's meet a few!

Spring PeepersThese tiny frogs (only about 1.5 inches long) are some of the first sounds of spring. When the weather warms above freezing, generally in mid-March in southern New England, these small but loud noisemakers join the spring party. Rarely seen, but often heard, these are fascinating creatures who have some amazing adaptations to survive. Click on the video to learn more!Did you know that some people find the sound of spring peepers so relaxing that they play the sound at night to fall asleep!

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​Red Wing BlackbirdsThese returning birds bring their bright colors and loud voices to the spring party in New England. If you are fortunate to have open fields or wetlands near your home, it's likely you hear these vocal visitors starting as early as late February.This video from the Cornell Ornithology Lab can help you learn more about these fun summer residents.

Wood FrogsAs you walk around in the spring, you may be startled to hear what sounds like a pond full of ducks! Surprisingly, the sound you hear is more likely to be made by wood frogs who are looking to attract a mate.Not as small as spring peepers, these loud frogs will breed and lay their eggs early in the spring in vernal pools and shallow ponds to begin another cycle of life. After breeding, they head back into the woods where you may see them among the leaves in marshy or low-lying areas.

Spring is a great time to get outside and discover some of the sounds that our resident 'party animals' make when the weather warms up. It's nice to hear them celebrating as much as we do!

As some of you may know this week we held our Winter Wings February Break Program. Some of you may think that there aren’t many birds around in the winter but you would be surprised. There are many species that stick around Massachusetts in the winter months and there are even some that migrate here in the winter too. In this post I’ll tell you about a few of the lesser known birds that winter in our area and can be seen at your bird feeders.

The dark-eyed junco is a sparrow-sized bird that spread all over North America in winter. They eat mostly seeds but in the breeding season they will eat insects as well. If you see these spritely little birds hopping around your feeder you know winter has begun!

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​As the name suggests the eastern bluebird has vibrant blue, white and red-brown feathers. Insects are the bluebird’s food of choice but in the winter they will also eat small fruits and berries. You can find some bluebird boxes at Sheep Pasture so look out for them while you’re visiting!

Pine siskins are little brown and yellow finches that would rather hop branch to branch than along the ground. Pine trees and other conifers are their tree of choice and have often been seen clinging upside down on a branch to get a tasty pine cone. These seed eaters will feast on deciduous tree seeds, young buds, ragweed and grass seeds. If you would like to see a pine siskin at your bird feeder provide smaller seeds like thistle and oil sunflower.

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Common redpolls are perky grey and red finches that forage in flocks all around the country. They are commonly seen at feeders, and will eat the seeds of birch trees and sedges in the winter. Not only can you see these birds in the winter but you can hear them as well; they make a long trill that can last up to a minute!

​Now that you know about some winter birds here are some bird feeder tips and tricks:1. Observe your yard to see where your backyard birds are hanging out2. Have multiple feeders with different types of seeds3. Have feeders away from windows to avoid collisions4. Provide fruit and berries as well as seeds5. Have feeders at different heights

​​We are in the middle of winter and animal sightings are few and far between so in this post I share with you some of my favorite fantastic beasts from around the world.

A fantastic beast of the ocean is the mantis shrimp. Although this animal is small it still packs quite a punch. The mantis shrimp have front claws that spring forward to kill prey or defend their territories. These claws will move away from their body at 50 miles per hour and accelerates faster than a .22 caliber bullet. These seem like a really cool animal to have in an aquarium but they are actually a hassle for aquariums to keep. They must be kept in a shatterproof glass tank because their claws are strong enough to punch through tough aquarium glass. If an aquarium has the special shatterproof glass they must be kept alone because they will use their claws against any tankmates. Brute strength isn’t the only incredible thing about the mantis shrimp, they have the most complex eyes of any animal. They have 12 photoreceptors to see many different colors, humans only have 3. They can see so many more colors than we can imagine. Because of this and their incredible punching power they are highly popular in scientific studies.

I’m guessing the next animal is totally new for you. It is called an axolotl, a type of salamander found in Mexico in one lake complex! The axolotl are carnivores like other salamanders but they are different in a major way: if they lose a body part they can regrow it! Spending all their time in water they are endemic to the Xochimilco Lake Complex and that has caused some problems. They cannot travel on land to other lakes so when contaminants from Mexico City drain into the lakes the salamanders can get sick and die from those pollutants. Because of their water is not as clean as it should be and they are popular in the pet trade this species is critically endangered. ​

Now that you’ve learned about some fantastic aquatic creatures let’s get back on land starting with the pangolin. Pangolins are a group of ant-eating mammals that are found in Africa and Asia. They have very intricate body scales on their backs that help protect them from predators and are known to roll up into a ball down a slope to escape. Inside their bodies they have an extremely long tongue that has intricate muscles that go all the way down to its pelvis. If all of the muscles attached to the tongue were spread out then it would be longer than their bodies. There are both terrestrial and arboreal species and they use a strong sense of smell to find insects their primary source of food. Pangolins are critically endangered because they are hunted for their meat and scales.

Another weird looking animal is the shoebill stork with its very prehistoric and scary facade. Living in freshwater swamps and dense marshes these 5-feet tall birds will use their impressive beak to hunt catfish, tilapia, and water snakes. When fish is sparse it will eat young crocodiles and monitor lizards by impaling the prey with its hooked beak that crushes it immediately. These large avian beasts are found in Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia. Even though these mysterious birds are similar to many birds like storks, herons, and pelicans they are much older evolutionarily.

Now that you’ve learned about these fantastic beasts come see our animals at Sheep Pasture and maybe discover some of your own on our trails!

Have you ever seen a goat or sheep eye? Do they have that interesting rectangle shaped eye? Well that shape isn’t there just to look different, the shapes of animals eyes correlate to where they are in the food chain. One general way to remember an animal’s role in the food chain is that predators have “eyes in front, on the hunt” and prey have “eyes on the side, run and hide.” The pupil is the part of the eye that lets light in and is where we see a lot of shape variation. The three most common pupil shapes are horizontal, vertical, and round but there are animals with a ‘W’ shape, cuttlefish, and geckos have ones that look like several small pupils in a line together.

​If you’ve ever been close to our sheep here, you might’ve notice they have the horizontal rectangle shape. Animals like sheep and goats are prey species and in the wild they need to see all around them to avoid and evade predators. The horizontal shape gives them a panoramic view of their surroundings so they can move on rough terrain, like mountain goats, while still being aware of any danger.

If you have a house cat or have seen a snake, you probably noticed that they have vertical pupils. This eye shape is ideal for small ambush animals that need judge how far away their prey is and how far they have to pounce or strike. This shape is only effective for animals whose eyes/heads are close to the ground. You can see this pupil shape in ocelots and alligators too.

Now I know what you’re thinking if house cats and ocelots have vertical pupils so should larger cats like lions and tigers? Well the bigger cats are higher up from the ground so the vertical pupils wouldn’t be advantageous for them. They also will chase around their prey, like a lion and a zebra, instead of pouncing or ambushing. Round pupils are also found in wolves, bearded dragons and humans.

So now if you are looking at an animal and want to know where in the food chain they are, looking at their eyes can give you some major hints! Come to Sheep Pasture to look at our animals and the wild animals that live here to see if they are predator or prey!